Women in Healthcare: Leading with Quality-A Conversation with Stephanie Mercado of NAHQ
This Episode:
This MGMA Women in Healthcare podcast episode, hosted by Adrienne Lloyd, welcomes Stephanie Mercado to the show. Mercado is the CEO and executive director of the National Association for Healthcare Quality (NAHQ). She joined the NAHQ in 2013 and has helped the organization achieve over 300% revenue growth and almost double its membership since then. In 2023, Modern Healthcare named Mercado one of the "100 Most Influential People in Healthcare".
Highlights:
In the conversation, Mercado emphasizes that quality and safety encompass more than just regulatory compliance - they should be viewed as a business strategy that utilizes standard and reliable problem-solving techniques. When faced with dynamic issues, tools like failure mode effects analysis (FMEA) and the situation-background-assessment-recommendation (SBAR) framework can help structure thinking and planning. Mercado also stresses the importance of resilience among healthcare leaders. Despite the uncertainty, focusing on continuous improvement through patience and small wins can move the quality agenda forward. Professionals can better manage stress and drive positive change by clarifying roles, unpacking concerns, and embracing an iterative mindset.
Main Takeaways:
- Quality improvement methods give healthcare workers a "toolkit" to effectively address opportunities and challenges
- Tools like FMEA and SBAR provide neutral frameworks to identify issues, plan solutions, and bring teams together
- Viewing quality as a long-term business strategy leads to more reliable outcomes than short-term compliance
- Adopting resilience through patience, adaptability, and celebration of incremental progress enhances success
- Roles clarification and unpacking sources of anxiety can help manage stress inherent to healthcare leadership
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